Police open fire, 10 injured in Jammu protest

India

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Published: Saturday, September 20, 2008, 15:05 [IST]

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Jammu, Sep 20 (UNI) At least ten protestors were injured when police resorted to lathi-charge and fired in the air to disperse them while they were forcibly trying to enter the Abhinav Theatre to attend a function organised by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS).

Hundreds of supporters of the Sangharsh Samiti, a coglomerate of religious, social and political organisations that led the two-month-long agitation over restoration of Amarnath land to the shrine board, and the activists of saffron brigade, assembled outside the venue here today to participate in a function organised to pay tributes to those killed during the two-month-long agitation.

Besides, police, the troops of para-military forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed outside the venue to restrict the supporters from entering the venue.

Police however, resorted to baton charge, fired tear gas shells and opened fire in the air to disperse the protestors, including the Sangharsh Samiti convenor Leela Karan Sharma and his brigade, who forcibly tried to enter the venue.

''Around ten people were injured including two saints when police opened fire in air and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the agitators,'' an activist of Sangharsh Samiti told UNI.

The battle between the protestors and the security forces continued for about an hour as agitators' including women amid chants of 'Bam-Bam Bhole' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' tried to enter the venue, an eyewitness added.

''State administration is always responsible for provoking the Jammu agitation. Despite having the permission, we were restricted to enter the premises to hold a peaceful function,'' asserted Leela Karan Sharma.

However, shouting slogans against Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, the protestors also pledged to hold the function at Abhinav Theatre.

The Sangharsh Samiti has, meanwhile, announced a two-day complete shutdown and chakka jam on September 21 and 22 in protest against the state administration.